Hosiery



May 1s, 1937.

H. WESTERMAN HOSIERY Filed June 3. 1935 NVEN'T OR.

A'ITORN i l. i

Patented May is, :i937 i f l ggggg stares patinar ortica I-SERY 3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in hosiei'y.

@ne of the objects of this invention is to produce hosiery such as socks or stockings and par? 4ticularly socks for men and children that will be self-supporting and willcli-ng or grip the leg of the wearer to prevent falling down when worn next to the skin. Another object of my invention is to provide hosiery of the type specified in which the body and foot portions of the hosiery may be made of conventional, ornamental knitted or Woven material such as lisle, combined with an inturned cuff portion of conventional elastically-woven or knitted material and will not therefore involve any change in knitting. Another object of my invention is to produce hosiery of the type specified having the conventional foot and cylindrical body portions formed of a so-called dead" ornamental knitted material with an inside orinturned cylindrical cuff having a substantially frustro conic base and composed of elastically-woven or knitted material which extends on the inside of or beneath an outer top part of the body portion composed of the more ornamental so-called dead material, so that the inside cuff of elastic material will assume'a position on the leg of the wearer conforming in inclination therewith. The inside elastically woven or knitted cuff may be fastened to the outer layer by longitudinal threads to permit free contraction of said inside cui layer on the leg of the wearer, and these fastening threads may comprise longitudinal rows of stitching or longitudinal Weaving or knitting threads.

With these and other objects in view, the invention comprises the combination of members and arrangement of parts so combined as to coact and cooperate with each other in the performance of the functions and the accomplishment of the results herein contemplated, and comprises in its adaptations, the species or preferredl forms illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in Which:-

Fig. 4 is a section on the .line 4-4 of Fig. 1, showing the sock in place upon a leg, and

Fig. 5 shows a fragmentary elevation of the cuff of heavy elastically-woven material connected by longitudinal woven threads to an outer ornamental'layer of thin "dead ornamental material, and

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawing, and particularly to Figs. 1 to 4 thereof, i indicates the body of a sock comprising a foot portion i and a leg portion ib formed of conventional ornamental material which is relatively inelastic, the same being made of the so-called dead" yarns such as cotton, lisle, silk, or other vegetable yarns commonly employed in the manufacture of hosiery. ic indicates a top or cuff portion which may be made as shown in Fig. 2 and then is folded as shown in Fig. 2a to provide an inside or inwardlyturned cuff. This cuff portion is composed of elastic yarn and is knitted in rib -formation to provide elasticity in the conventional manner.

The inside cui portion i more particularly shown in Fig. 2a has a substantially frustro-conic connecting or top portion 2 and a contracted cylindrical portion 2 and in accordance with my invention this frustro conic portion 2 and the contracted cylindrical portion 2n are adapted. when folded inside as shown, to grip the leg of the wearer and to assume a position on the leg which will conform in inclination with the incline of the leg instead of extending in the opposite direction to the incline of the leg as in the conventional sock shown in Fig. 2.

In Fig. 5, I have shown, in elevation, a fragment of an inside cuff of elastic yarn and an outside ornamental leg portion of relatively inelastic or ldead yarn connected-together by longitudinal threads in the manner conventionally employed to weave outer and inner layers of cloth together. y

In Fig. 6, I have shown a section of the same fragment of inside cuff and outside leg portion.

In these figures, i0 indicates a portion of the inside cuff of elastic yarn, il indicates the outside inelastic leg portion and i2 the longitudinal weaving threads connecting said inside and outside layers.

It will thus be seen that in accordance with my invention I produce an inside cuff which, bccause of its position on the leg, will hug the same closer at all portions thereof and will grip and maintain its position when applied directly over the skin of the wearer. It will be seen also that this inside cui? of elastic material will have its major portion covered by an outside layer o the lcg1 portion of relatively inelastic ornamental material and in order to enable the inside cu of elastic material to retain all of its resilience I fasten the said inside cu to the outer layer by means of a series of longitudinal stitches 3 or by longitudinal woven threads, thus leaving the portions between the stitches or woven threads of the elastic cuff free to contract on the leg without substantial hindrance from the outer non-elastic portion. I am thus enabled to produce an ornamental hose or sock having an ornamental outer portion covering the less ornamental inside cui? portion and at the same time provide a contrasting top band Aof the relatively elastic material which will increase the elasticity of this portion and will also give the sock or c hose a finished appearance.

It is desirable that these rows of longitudinal` '.stitches or woven; threads be spaced apart at different distance at the front portion of the 'sock and at tne reap portion because of tne fact rection as the inclination of the leg will cling to l and grip the leg to a degree which enables the sock or stocking to be entirely self-supporting.

.This may be due to the fact that the inside cuff of applicants sock which, as aforesaid, is made of conventional elastically woven or knitted ma.-

terial is heavier than the ornamental leg portion of the sock and the difference in weight of the elastic and relatively non-elastic portions may have some effect in making the sock self-supporting. Another factor which may have some effect in producing the result hereinabove specified is that the outer thinner layer has a large surface of contact on the elastic layer to which to cling and this may distribute-any downward pull due to gravity or otherwise. Applicant finds, however, that a sock or stocking of his construction maintains its hold upon the leg and is entirely self-supporting so that garters and/or like rub` ber materialswill be eliminated.

Having described my invention, I claimz,

l. A sock or hose havingafoot portion, a'leg former therewith.

portion composed of relatively inelastic yarn and an elongated inside cui portion connected to said leg portion and extending inwardly within said leg portion, said inside cuff portion being formed of relatively elastic material and having a downwardly-extending contracted portion extending in the direction of the inclination of the leg, said cui portion being of a length adapted to frictionally grip and iit snugly upon a portion of the calf of the leg and upon a downwardly contract ing portion below said calf, and rows of threads extending longitudinally of the sock or hose and connecting said inside elasticcuff to the outer inelastic leg portion.

2. A sock or hose having a foot portion, a leg portion composed of relatively ir'rei'astic yarn and an elongated inside cuff portion connected to said leg portion and extending inwardly within said leg portion, said inside cuff portion being formed I of relatively elastic material and having a downwardly-extending contracted portion extending in the direction of the inclination of the leg, said cui-i portion being of a length adapted to frictionally grip and fit snugly upon a portion of the calf of the leg and upon a downwardly con tracting portion below said calf, and rows of tion and extending downwardly within the same to form a lining of the entire top calf-covering section and a large part of the intermediate downwardly-extending section of said inelastic leg portion, said cuit portion in worn condition decreasing in diameter from said upper end i downwardly to frictionally grip and t snugly upon a portion of the calf of the leg and upon va downwardly contracting portion below said calf, and threads connecting the abutting surfaces of said outside inelastic leg portion and .the elastic inside cuff portions to permit the later to contract on the leg, and to carry the .Ni Minna@ 

